Bottle or jar closure device



H. MOORE.

BOTTLE 0R JAR CLOSURE DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, 19:8.

1,328,536, Patented Jan. 20, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIoE.

HARLAN MOORE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BOTTLE OR lTAR CLOSURE DEVICE,

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, HARLAN Moons a citizen of the United States, residing at New York in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle or Jar Closure Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention :relates to the class of closure devices which consists simply of a\ disk of paper board or other flexible m'aterial of suflicient strength, flexibility and I elasticity to be sprung or pressed into an the bottle and injuring the disk suflioiently internal annular seat or croze-like groove in the mouth of the bottle or jar, and is es pecially adapted-for use in'connection with the commonly used form of'milk bottles. The need for a simple, sanitary, cheap, and easily-applied closure device of a temporary nature in connection with the business of supplying milk-"or cream atretail in returnable and refillable bottles has brought this class of bottle closure in very extensive use, and it is conceded that in many of the larger cities of the United States many thousands of these disk'closures are used every day. It is also well known that these disk closures are defective in several respects, mainly in that they require a tool of some sort to .remove' them, and even with a tool are frequently forced-into the bottle as when the finger or thumb is employed, thereby splashing or spilling the contents of to destroy it as a closure device, and thereby prevent its being inserted again by the consumer should only a portion of the contents be removed at a time. A further objection is that in removing the disks with a tool, the bottle is not only frequently chipped around its mouthpbut the disks are punctured'and afterward not always suiiiciently liquid-tight to permit the bottle to be shaken toimix the layer of cream that-gathers in the neck of the .bottle -when' the bottle has been allowed to stand a few hours.

It is the object of my invention to overcome the objections just'pointed out to the use of this class of bottle closures, and to this end it consists in providing a simple,

' thin flexible and elastic disk usually employed in this class of milk bottle closures with a slit or cut-out section preferably half-way through the thickness of the disk disk,

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J an; 20, 19 20, Application filed m 15, 1918. Serial No. 244,920.

and connecting two points within the disk or extending from a point within the disk to its circun'iference on the top side of the and a slit or cut-out section also preferably half-way.- through the thickness of disk and connecting two points within the disk or extending from a point within the disk to its circumference on the bottom side of the disk, and the interior or top and bottom portions of the disk lying between the slits or cut-out sections in the top and bottom sides are disconnected or capable of being easily separated from each other for purposes to be presently explained.

v disk so constructed enables me to quickly and properly insert the same in the annular seat or groove within the neck of the bottle and a bottle closure constructed and arranged as above indicated enables one a to easily and slightly lift with the finger nails or thumb, and without the use of a pointed tool or instrument, the upperlor detached section of the disk between the slits or cut-out sections in the top and bottom sides of the disk to permit the outside airto get under the upper or detached section and between the disk or capand the contentsv of the bottle, thereby destroying the partial vacuum produced by the contraction of the volume of the milk or cream when cooled, and enabling the closure to be, easily and quickly lifted out of the neck of the bottle, when it is desired to use the contents of the bottle,.without said closure being destroyed or marred for further use, or in any way disturbing the contents within the bottle. The above construction of bottle closure can be made with the minimum use of paper, cost of cutting dies, mechanical or manual operations and cost of production.

Other operations and advantages of my in- 'vention, and manner of applying and using the same will appear from the hereinafter detailed description. j

a The invention consists of structural charac'teristics of elements and relative arrangements thereof, whichwill be hereinafter seen fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the appended clalms.

In the accompanying one sheet of drawings, similar reference characters indicate the same parts in the several figures in which:

Figure 1, is a top plan view of the pre- Fig. 3, is an enlarged sectional view taken on line IIl['-III of Fig. 1. K

Figs. 4. 5, and 7, are top plan views of modified forms of the disk closure.

Fig. 6, is an enlarged sectional view taken on line VIVI of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8, is an enlarged sectional view taken on line VIH-VIII of Fig. 7.

Figs. 9 and 11, are top plan views of further modified forms of the invention, and

Fig. 10, is an enlarged sectional view on line XX of Fig. 9.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, of the draw-.

ings, 12 is a disk of flexible and elastic ma terial preferably paper, but any other suitable material having the same general characteristics may be employed if so desired. Said disk 12, is substantially circular in form with a smooth periphery 13, and is provided preferably with a cut-out section 14, on itstop side which, extends from any point within the disk 12 to its circumference 13, and partially through the thickness of said disk as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.. One edge of the cut-out section 14 may be curved as shown in Fig. 1 to form a tab 15 for purposes to be presently disclosed. On the bottom side of the disk 12 is also provided a cut-out section 16, which likewise extends from any point within the disk 12 to its circumference 13, and partially through the thickness of said disk as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3. The top and bottom portions 17 and 18 comprising the interior section of the disk between the cut-out sections 14 and 16 are separated on the line 19, or separably connected on said line 19. The disk 12 formed as described is inserted into the usual annular groove orseat 20 in the neck of the bottle'21, and when released naturally seats itself and forces its outer and smooth circumferential edge tightly and uninterruptably against the annular vertical wall of the seat or groove 20 as shown in Fi 3, thus preventing any possible leakage of the con.-

tents of'the bottle at this outer portion of the closure: J

Owin to the partial vacuum within the bottle t e separated or superimposed top and bottom portions 17 and 18 are forced against each other and hence prevent any of the contents of the bottle in passing between them and out of the bottle, and this'bringing or forcing together of said portions 17 and 18 is effected to a still higher degree, owing to the dished-shape usually assumed by the disk 12 while in the bottle 21 as shown in Fig; 3, when said bottle is turned with its bottom up, as the pressure of the contents of the bottle will tend to force or inaatea" flatten out the disk and also press the bottom portion 18 against the top portion 17 and insure a sealing or fluid tight joint between said separated portions 17 and 18, as will be readily understood.

After the di k or closure within the neck of the bottle 21, as shown in Figs, 1 and. 3, and it is desiredto remove the disk or cap 12, and contents of the .bottle 21, all that is necessaryis to slightly lift the exposed edge of the. top portion;17 and corresponding to the tab 15 with the thumb or finger nails, when the outside air will pass between the top and bottom portions 17 and 18 of the disk 12, and into the bottle 21.

and destroy the partial vacuum under the disk or cap 12, when on further pulling and lifting of said top portion 17, which is now easily accomplished, the disk 12 is easily and readily lifted from the bottle without any undue strain on any of the parts of said t 1 12 has been firmly locked or seated in the groove 20 disk or cap 12, and without destroying its further use, should it be desired to replace it again as a closure for a bottle.

The modifications shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6. 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 involve the same invention as described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 and are applied, used and operated in the same manner.

In Fig. 4, the top and bottom cut-out sections 144, and 146, instead of being provided with a tab formation as shown in Fig. 1 may be V-shaped as illustrated. 1

Figs. 5 and 6 show a form of the invention in which the top V-shaped cut-out section 144 of Fig. 4, is replaced by a. narrow slit 145, cooperating with a bottom V-shaped cut-out section 146 similar to that shown in Fig. 4.

y In Figs. 7, and 8, the top and bottom V- shaped cut-out sections 144 and 146, shown in Fig. 4 are replaced by top and bottom V-shaped slits 1.47 and 147.

- Figs. 9 and 10 show the same invention in which the top slit 149 and bottom cut-out section 150 are wholly within the disk instead of extending to the circumference of the disk as shown inF igs. 1 to 8, and

Fig. 11 shows a fonm of the invention in which both to and-1v bottom slits 151, and

' 152, are arc-shaped and within the disk body.

-- From" the foregoing disclosure of the construction and operation of my invention, it will be readily seen that all the advantages and objects of my improved closure set up in the statement of invention and description are fully carried out, and all the disadvantages of the present and usual forms of solid disk caps or closures which are ordinarily pushed down with the thumb into the neck of'the bottle, resulting in the unsanitary thumb splashing and nauseating feelings to the customer, which are inevitable when the bottle is well-filled, are entirely overcome by the use of my construction of cap or closure and method of removing the same in which the air by the use of the finonce under the cap or Many other modifications will readilysuggest themselves to any one Without departing from the essential and broad elements of the herein described invention, as for example, instead of the cut-out sections or slits being radial or angular as shown, said slits or cut-out sections may be at any angle to a tangent at the circumference of the disk and longer or shorter than those illustrated in the several figures, and that this form of the tab 15 could be made in any form, or the incisions, slits, or cut-outs could be multiplied in combination or form, and have one slit, incision or cut-out extend to the circumference of the disk and the other incision, slit or cut-out be wholly within the disk. The disk 12 could be constructed of two circular thin superimposed disks which would be held together by paraiiin or otherwise fastened together.

What I claim is 1. As an article of manufacture, a receptacle closure comprising a disk substantially circular in form having a smooth periphery and an incision in each of its top and bottom sides, said incisions extending only through a section of the thickness of the disk and not registering with each other, the top and bottom sections of the disk between the top and bottom incisions being separable, whereby after the closure has been placed in the mouth of a receptacle and the edge of the top incision is lifted or bent up, the air is permitted to enter into the receptacle through the passage formed betwglen the separated top and bottom sections an projecting tab is formed with which to re move said closure from the receptacle.

2. As an article of manufacture, a receptacle closure comprising a disk substantially circular in form having a smooth periphery and an incision extending from a point within the disk to its circumference in each of its top and-bottom sides, said incisions extending only through a section of the thickness of the disk and not registering with each other, the top and bottom sections of the disk between the top and bottom incisions being separable, whereby after the closure has been placed in the mouth of a receptacle and the edge of the top incision is lifted or bent up, the air is permitted to enter into the receptacle through the passage formed between the separated top and bottom sections and bottom incision and at the same time a projecting tab is formed mouth of a receptacle bottom incision and at the same time a yielding dished with which to remove said closure from the receptacle.

3. As an article of manufacture, a receptacle closure comprising a disk substantially circular in form having a smooth periphery and a V-shaped incision extending from a point within the disk to its circumference in each of its top and bottom sides, said incisions extending only through a section of the thickness of the disk and not registering with each other, the top and bottom sections of the disk between the top and bottom incisions being separable, iathsreby after the closure has been e placed in the mouth of a receptacle and the edge of the top incision is lifted or bent up, the air is permitted to enter into the receptacle through the passage formed between the separated top and bottom sections and bottom incision and at the same time a project ing tab is formed with which to remove said closure from the receptacle.

4. As an article of manufacture, a receptacle closure comprising a disk substantially circular in form having a smooth periphery and an incision uninterrupted between its ends in each of its top and bottom sides, said incisions extending only through a section of the thickness of the disk and not registering with each other, the top and bottom sections of the disk between the top and bottom incisions being separable, whereby after the closure has been placed in the and the edge of the top incision is lifted or bent up, the air is permitted to enter through the passage formed between the separated top and bottom sections and bottom incision and at the same time a projecting tab is formed with which to remove said closure from its receptacle.

5. As an article of manufacture, a receptacle closure comprising an imperforate yielding disk substantially circular in form having a smooth periphery and an incision uninterrupted between its ends in each of its top and bottom sides. said incisions extending only through a section of the thickness of the disk and not registering with each other, the too and bottom sectlons of the disk between ihe top and bottom incisions being separable, whereby after the closure has been placed in the mouth of a receptacle and the edge of the top incision is lifted or bent up, the .air is ermitted to enter into the receptaclethroug the passage formed between the separated top and bottom sections and bottom incision and at the same time a projecting tab is formed with which to remove said closure from the receptacle. I

6. As an article of manufacture, a recep-. tacle closure comprising an imperforate disk substantially circular in form having a smooth periphery and an into the receptacle incision uninterrupted between its ends in each of its top and bottom sides, said incisions extending only through a section of the thickness of the disk and not registering with each other, the top and bottom sec tions of the disk between the top and bottom incisions being separable, whereby after the closure has been placed in the mouth of a receptacle and the edge of the upper incision is lifted or bent up, the air is per- 10 iiormed with which to remove said closure 15 from its receptacle. 7

In testimony whereof, I affix my; signature.

HARLAN' MQGRE 

